Elbeet j



(No Model.)

B. J. BURRELL.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WOOD.

N0. 363,313. Patented May 17, 1887.

INVENTOR:

BY ATTORNEYS.

A WITNESSES:

Parana? tries.

ELBERT J. BURRELL, OF jE'INA, TENNESSEE.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,313, dated May 1'7, 1887.

Application filed December 9, 1886. Serial No. 221,136. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT J. BURRELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at ZEtna,

in the county of Hickman and State of Ten of ovens or kilns and two series or groups of condensers with the necessary connections. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of one kiln, showlng the connection of the kiln with the gasflues; and Fig. 3 isa side view of the condensers, fans, blowers, and gas-fines.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the utilization of the non-condensable and uncondensed gases and vapors given off in the carbonization of wood, and the mixture of said gases with a suitable proportion of oxygen from the atmosphere for combustiomand to the handlingof said gases, with the necessary power completely controlling the same.

It also relates to the handling of the condensable gases emanating from the charcoalkilns by drawing or exhausting the same through a series or group of condensers and forcing or propelling the same through an other separate set or group of condensers.

In the drawings, A indicates a kiln or battery of any suitable number of kilns or ovens for the carbonization of wood, built upon any approved plan and of any suitable material preferably of brick laid in cement mortar. Each is provided with a door, a, for charging the wood, a furnace, b, for burning solid or gaseous fuel, and a distributer of heat, a, in the center of the base of the kiln, for introducing the heat for carbonization of the wood.

0 indicates the opening, vent, or flue for the exit of the condcnsable vapors or gases emanating from the kiln during carbonization, which pass into a special vertical chimney, (1,

arranged beside each kiln or oven, and which is provided with a cap. From this flue d the uncondensed gases pass through valved branch flue 71. into gas-main i, which conveys them to the first series or groups of condensers, B 13, located on platform I. These gases pass through all the condensers B B, alternately entering and passing outat the top and bottom of the same through connecting gas-mains K K.

D is a fan or pressure-blower, which draws the said gases through condensers B B, gasmain 1', and branch main h, and drives or propels them through connectingflues K K and through the second series or group of coir densers, G O, the connecting'mains being alternately applied at top and bottom, as in the case of condensers B B.

E is a vertical exit-chimney, into which the uncondensable and u ncondensed and in flammable gases escape after passing through all the condensers. It is provided with a valve for regulating exit of gases.

F is a powerful fan or pressure-blower, which draws the said uncondensed. intlammable gases from chimney E through connecting gas-main m m into main return gas-flue g, which is laid under surface of ground a, and thus also drives these gases into return branch fluef and valved copper pipe and elbow (2 into the furnace H, where they are consumed.

G is an air-inlet in gas-main at, between chimney E and pressure-blower F, which has a valve that controls the introduction of atmospheric air into and its admixture with the nncondcnsable inflammable gases in any re quired quantity or volume on their passage toward the furnace b, the purpose being. to produce efficient combustion.

The apparatus being such as specified above, the operation is as follows: The kiln or kilns Ahaving been charged with wood through the door, the latter is sealed, and wood is also introduced into furnace H and fired. The draft of chimney d and the admission of air through vent-holes in the kiln (not shown) fan and feed the incipient fire, and smoke and fumes escape through chimney (Z. After the process of carbonization is fairly started and the wood gases are being evolved, fan D is started. The draft is communicated through main gas-flue 1', branch flue h, chimney (Z, and gas vent or flue c in the kiln, and the uncondensed gases from the kiln or oven are drawn through the first series or group of condensers, B B, and propelled or driven by fan D through the second series or group of condensers, G 0, then through communicating flues K K- into exit-chimney E, and if not needed for fuel are allowed to escape upward through the same. By the action of pressure-blower F, however,

the uncondensable and inflammable gases,when

needed for fuel in furnace b, are drawn from/- chimney E, when its valve is closed through gas-main m and driven through return gasmain 9, branch main f, and valved branch copper .pipe 0 into furnace b and there consumed. While the gases are thus being conveyed into the furnace Z), the air-valve Gin gas main m is kept open, and a sufficient supply of oxygen is thus introduced and mixed with said gases in suitable proportion to produce thorough and instantaneous combustion. The heat of such burning gases passes through distributer a and carbonizes the wood, and produces an additionalsupply of uncondensed gases in the kiln.

The kiln K has no special air-inlet and no air is admitted into it during carbonization,

' the kiln being under pressure, except as an ad-' mixture to the uncondensable inflammable gases in special proportionate combination by action of the thoroughly-controlled air-valve G, as above described. Through the exhaust and pressure of fan or blower D, the uncondensed gases from the kiln are passed through the two series of condensers B B and G 0, where the pyroligneous acid is eliminated,and the uneondensable gases remain, which are passed, through the action of pressure-blower F, through return gas-main 9,,after admixture of oxygen of the air by valve G, into the fur nace b, to be used as fuel.

Wood or other solid fuel is used in the furnace I) only to start the firing and during the progress of carbonization occasionally in small quantities to accelerate combustion and to increase the heat, gas-fuel, with a proper admixture of air, constituting the main and at times the only fuel in the furnace b.

. The advantages of my invention are the equalizing, regulating, and harmonizing of the action of the gases by combined suction and pressure when passing from the kiln or oven to the condensers,by being exhausted or drawn through a portion or group of the condensers and propelled into or pushed into another portion or group of condensers, thus regulating and equalizing the flow of gas, and preventing any choking, stoppage, or check of same, or the too rapid flow of same, while the uncondensable inflammable gases are simultaneously being acted upon by a pressure-blower, drawing and exhausting the gases from the second series or group of condensers, thus producing a gradual, steady, and thoroughly-controllable motion of the gas through all the condensers and the same steady pressure upon all the gasinains by the thoroughly regulated and controlled rotary motion of the fans and blowers.

Another advantage of my invention is the introduction of the air-valve G, by which any necessary amount of air (or oxygen) can be incorporated or mixed with the gases needed for combustion, which supply of air can be thoroughly controlled at will. When desirable, the gas can be shut off from return gas-n1ain g and allowed to escape through chimney E altogether or in any desirable quantity, and the supply of air can also, if necessary, be entirely shut off. Thus the performance of the carbonizing of wood, the condensation of the gases and vapors from the kiln, the production of pyroligneous acid, and the application of uncondensable and inflammable gases from the condensers as fuel for supplying the heat for the carbonization of Wood in the kiln are systematized, simplified, and regulated at will,

and the gas is prepared for proper combustion during its passage to the kiln,without any special air-inlet into the latter.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is- 1. The combination of the following elements: a closed charcoal-kiln, condensers,and a fan connected therewith, a main extending from the last condenser of the series to the fur nace of the kiln, and having a valved inlet for regulating admission of atmospheric air, and a second fan,located between the air-inlet and the furnace, for the purposeof exhausting or drawing the uncondensed gases from the last condenser and forcingor propelling them, admixed with air, forward to the furnace, substantial] y as shown and described.

2. The combination,with a closed charcoalkiln, of two separate groups or seriesof condensers, a fan or blower located between the same for exhaust and pressure, a chimney connected with the condensers and provided with a valve for closing it, a main connected with the said chimney and leading to the kiln-fur:

nace, an adjustable air-inlet valve or damper in said main for the mixture of air and gas, and a fan or pressurc-blower connected with said main, all substantially as shown and de scribed, to operate as specified.

- ELBERT J. BURRELL.

Witnesses:

E. A. VALOONNET,

J. W. Bisnor.

IlO 

